The Place:
Oaxaca is among the poorest regions in Latin America. Three out of four people lack access to basic necessities and have only been educated through the 6th grade. Our local partner, Trigo y Miel (Wheat and Honey), is a community center serving families living in poverty in Zaachila on the outskirts of Oaxaca City. Trigo provides a healthy meal every day for over 100 children, along with clean drinking water, tutoring, medical check-ups, and recreational activities.
The Need:
Trigo y Miel staff recently started a make-shift school and are desperate for permanent classrooms and a safe space to grow their education program to serve 150 local children. In partnership with Forward Edge, a local NW nonprofit that has worked with Trigo for many years.
The Team:
In 2023, Andersen will send a team of builders to construct the school out of two shipping containers, using the same design along with lessons learned from our 2019 International School build project in rural South Africa. To further support the local community, we will engage and hire a local workforce to assist with the build.
The Build:
The team will build a sustainable, replicable, four-room classroom building with a combination of new, recycled and repurposed materials. The simple structure will incorporate two large shipping containers used to transport the bulk of the building materials to the site. Once the containers are hoisted into place by mobile crane, a prefabricated, metal roof truss system and metal roof will span them to create the building enclosure. The front and rear infill walls will be built out of conventional metal stud framing with an exterior steel skin. The predominantly metal building will be secure, durable, and resistant to natural threats such as termites and dry rot.
Learn More:
If you would like to learn more about the building plans, check out AndersenInAfrica.com for details and get in touch if you have an idea for a future build!
Andersen Construction Foundation:
The Andersen Construction Foundation leads our philanthropic efforts and commitment to the communities we serve. The Foundation supports non-profit organizations through a variety of efforts, including financial contributions and volunteer hours.